The Department of Workforce Development has awarded nearly $2.3 million in Wisconsin Fast Forward worker training grants to 18 Wisconsin employers including five in Northeast Wisconsin.
The grants provide funds to reimburse the cost of occupational training for unemployed, underemployed, and current workers that will support career growth by qualifying trainees for full-time work, a higher level of employment, or increased wages. Some projects include partnerships with community organizations, local employers, and industry associations.
“Our Wisconsin Fast Forward grant program supports employers as they seek to attract, train, and retain a highly skilled workforce,” said DWD Secretary Amy Pechacek. “This strategic investment by Governor Evers is sustaining Wisconsin’s robust economy and strengthening our state’s workforce now and into the future. The Wisconsin Fast Forward program has been a tremendous success, and we’re pleased that the 2025-27 Biennial Budget includes funding to continue supporting workers and job seekers to get the training and skills they need.”
The state launched the Wisconsin Fast Forward program in 2013 to help businesses train and retain highly skilled workers and address the skills gap. Since then, these grants have provided more than $51 million to support more than 461 workforce training projects and benefited more than 30,000 workers.
Wisconsin Fast Forward grant awards support the following projects:
- Elexco Inc., Outagamie County | $367,229. This grant will be used to train 15 unemployed, five underemployed, and 27 current workers as underground utility technicians and foreman in fiberoptics, wireless cell towers, and green solar electric field utilities. Current employees could receive a wage increase of $10 or more per hour.
- Tweet Garot Mechanical Inc., Brown County | $59,072. Tweet Garot will partner with The Utech Group to train 120 current employees as foremen, equipping them with leadership skills to advance their careers. Trainees could receive a wage increase of $2.50 or more per hour.
- AOS Water Treatment (North America) Inc., Outagamie County | $57,782. Funds will be used to train five unemployed, eight underemployed, and 33 current employees on new product lines and customized job tasks or work processes. Current workers could receive a wage increase of 50 cents or more per hour.
- Joseph A. Interiors, Brown County | $10,300. In partnership with Microvellum Software, Joseph A. Interiors will train four incumbent trainees using The Foundation Library training course to transition software from the current component library to the new foundation library. Trainees could receive a wage increase of $1.02 or more per hour.
- Masters Gallery Foods Inc., Sheboygan County | $101,142. Masters Gallery Foods Inc. will partner with Quest Industrial LLC and Somic Packaging Inc. to train 25 unemployed and 70 current employees on new equipment and technology that produces packaged cheese slices. Current workers could receive a wage increase of 89 cents or more per hour.
